The Jain Temple of Mumbai – The Most Cute One in the Financial Capital of India
Usually, the Jain temples in India are world famous for their architectural beauty and tranquil vibes. Among the number of wonderful Jain temples in Mumbai and the magnificent ones in India, the Babu Amichand Pannalal Adishwarji Jain Temple is worth visiting even though you might not be a Jain or a religious believer. It is also simply known as the Adishwar Temple that was constructed in 1904 A.D.
The Jain community is known for its peace-loving attitude such that they even take effort to prevent killing even a small insect. In this context, you will find Jains in the temple wearing a cloth over their mouth and then chanting mantras or worshipping to prevent killing a microorganism in the air as far as possible. These people are the strong believers in self-restraint and aestheticism, much of their sums from business goes in the construction and maintenance of the Jain temples. Jains are incredibly well known for their unmatched skills in the field of business and are the firm seekers of Enlightenment.
Jain Temple Architecture
The temple is devoted to Shree Adinath/Rishabhdev who is the first Tirthankara (apostle) out of 24 according to Jainism. At the entrance, you will come across the most fine and beautiful sculpting that fill the temple’s and surroundings’ atmosphere with an artistic opulence.
The moment you come at the main gate of the Jain Temple, the two elephants spectacularly carved out of stone standing on both the sides of the gate seem like welcoming each visitor. Next, when you enter the temple, you will see several images of various deities and famous saints in the downstairs area. Among the broad set of religious images, it is surprising to spot an image of Hindu God, Lord Ganesh, the god of obstacle breaker and prosperity. This testifies the historic links between the diverse ethnic groups of Hinduism and Jainism. There are three black idols standing safe at the rear of a metal screen. Lord Ganesha is most revered among the people of Mumbai. Therefore, you will not find only Jains coming here, but also Hindus coming for worship. However, the temple’s fame is spread far and wide that people of different beliefs and sects come here to savor its art and environs.
The temple is decorated with colorful paintings that are tinted quite carefully and whose beauty is not that quick enough to be forgiven. If you look at the dome, its colorful ceiling artistically holds the painted signs of the zodiac making its grandly decorative. Further, the colorful frescos on its wall exhibit the lives of the 24 Tirthankaras making it among the most visited section of the temple. Another striking structure is that of the black marble shrine of the 23rd Tirthankara, Lord Parshvanath.
I felt immense tranquility in the temple.
Location
The Jain Temple is overlooks the bay in the city centre of Mumbai. It is on the Ridge Road, Walkeshwar (Malabar Hill).
Reaching the Jain Temple
The nearest railway station is Churchgate, the local western line. From here, you can catch an auto or taxi that will take you to Malabar Hill in just 15 minutes. Otherwise also, the posh area of Malabar Hill is well linked with all areas of Proper Mumbai through good transport mediums.